While you’d like to think NFL Week 3 was going to start out with a bang, we get the Carolina Panthers visiting the Houston Texans in a game very few seem to be enthusiastic over. The Panthers are off to a great start, winning both of their first two games and getting it done on both sides of the ball, but the Texans are, obviously, a different story. The offseason drama surrounding Deshaun Watson littered the headlines throughout the preseason, they opened with a surprising upset of Urban Meyer and the Jacksonville Jaguars and kept things competitive with the Browns early on, but then the wheels fell off the wagon as they lost starting quarterback TyRod Taylor and have turned to rookie Davis Mills who just doesn’t quite seem ready for prime time. The switch under center is likely to cause ripple effects on the other skill-position players, so how they fit in a Showdown Slate will certainly be interesting.

Now before we begin, please take a moment to understand what exactly you are getting yourself into by playing single-game Showdown Slates. We love to have some skin in the game, for sure, but these slates are, for all intents and purposes, a lottery ticket. Sure, there are times when the chalk hits and everyone shares in the prizes, but, more often than not, you need to hit on that random dart-throw that differentiates your lineup from that of the herd in order to claim the top prize. As a result, we encourage you to play responsibly and not over-invest. Stick to the GPP contests (single-entry preferred), don’t blow your whole bankroll, and understand that, unless you are a max-entry player, you should prioritize having fun.

OK. Lecture over. Let’s get to tonight’s action.

Carolina Panthers at Houston Texans

Spread: Panthers -8

O/U: 43

Weather: Clear skies with temperatures in the low 70s

Notable Injuries:

Carolina Panthers

none

Houston Texans

TyRod Taylor, QB – hamstring (out – IR)

Danny Amendola, WR – thigh (out)

Nico Collins, WR – shoulder (out – IR)

DVOA Defensive Rankings

Panthers

vs Pass: 1st 

vs Run: 1st 

Texans

vs Pass: 5th 

vs Run: 31st 

**Please note that players not listed below are not necessarily a complete fade and any player listed can certainly be used as the MVP/Captain. These are merely suggestions for players to use when setting Showdown lineups.

MVP/Captain

Christian McCaffrey, RB CAR – Have you tried to build a lineup with McCaffrey in your Captain spot? He’s over $20K on Draft Kings and $17.5K on FanDuel. That’s a lot of deep-dive bargain-shopping to do in order to make it happen, but do we see anyone else who is likely to score more fantasy points than the Panthers lead running back? He may not be my ideal choice for the top spot, but with so many multi-lineup entrants, it wouldn’t surprise me to see him and a handful of dart-throws in the lineup that wins the top prize.

Sam Darnold, QB CAR – This might be a little more where I settle in for my Captain spot as I am not a multi-lineup guy for Showdown slates. Darnold has been very serviceable for fantasy through the first two weeks and after putting up over 300 yards and a pair of touchdowns last week against the Saints, things continue to look up for him. I get that the DVOA rankings have the Texans fifth overall, but I’m not buying it. We know these corners are soft and this passing attack should carve them up. 

Brandin Cooks, WR HOU – If you want to get a little contrarian and use someone from Houston here, then Cooks is the only one I would consider. He’s the team’s best wide receiver and he should be force-fed targets throughout the night. There’s an obvious chance the Panthers float extra coverage his way, so only do this if you’re setting multiple lineups.

Mid-Tier

DJ Moore, WR CAR – Last year, we were all freaked out that Moore was turning into a bust as he seemed to be relegated to the deep threat as opposed to a guy who should see regular targets and help move the chains. This year, it’s been much different, as evidenced by his 19 targets over the first two weeks. He could warrant attention in the captain spot, but we could also see the Panthers spread things around a lot more tonight given the soft match-up.

Robby Anderson, WR CAR – Seasonal fantasy owners are already freaking out with only nine targets through the first two games, but you need to be patient. Remember, Darnold is learning a new offense here and he’s going to open with a lean on his first read to get comfortable. We know Anderson and Darnold have a connection from their time with the Jets, so don’t be surprised if Darnold helps assuage some of the fantasy stress and gives Anderson a bit more attention this week.

Davis Mills, QB HOU – He’s still gotta throw the ball, doesn’t he? Granted, Mills completed just 8-of-18 passes last week for 102 yards, one score and one pick, but once the Panthers jump out to that early lead, head coach David Culley is going to want to throw the ball downfield and not let this game get away from them too quickly. The short turnaround from Week 2 is a bit of a bummer, but he’s taken as many first-team reps as he is able and will look to prove himself in what is expected to be a tough match-up.

Mark Ingram, RB HOU – The Panthers have been a very stingy run defense through the first two weeks, but if you’re looking for a pay-down who sees volume, Ingram seems to be your best choice out of this Texans backfield. He’s received 40 carries through the first two games and the Texans may be inclined to continue a strong workload in an effort to take some of the pressure off Mills. Of course, that could mean a little more box-stacking, but I don’t think Carolina is too worried that they’re going to get beat on the ground.

David Johnson, RB HOU – While Ingram can catch passes, it’s been Johnson who has been used in that role through the first two weeks and that trend is likely to continue here as well. Johnson was actually on the field for 43-percent of the snaps last week and that led the entire backfield. Since we’re expecting the Texans to play from behind and we know Mills is likely to look for his check-down often, Johnson could be the sneaky play you never knew you needed.  

Panthers D/ST – Why wouldn’t you consider the Panthers defense for this week? Mills could be a turnover machine, the Texans running backs could put the ball on the ground a few times and the Houston scoring could be very limited. Not to mention all the delicious sacks we could see. I’ll probably lock them in wherever I can.

Dan Arnold, TE CAR – We’ve been anxiously awaiting the Darnold-to-Arnold touchdown call and this just might be the week we get to hear it. The Texans actually rank 25th on DVOA against the tight end and they’ve already allowed an average of 88.5 receiving yards per game to the position. Arnold has seen seven targets through the first two weeks and just might get to do a little end zone dancing if his quarterback wants to try and spread the love around a little. 

Dart Throws

Chris Conley, WR HOU – He’s never really panned out in the NFL, though we have seen some fleeting moments while he was with Kansas City and Jacksonville. He’s a big boy at 6-foot-3, but he’s just never really been able to put anything together consistently. But with Danny Amendola and Nico Collins out, Conley slides in as the team’s No. 2 and could see a few extra targets come his way.

Terrace Marshall, Jr, WR CAR – He’s turned nine targets into six catches for 43 yards, so, obviously, nothing special. But while Moore and Anderson will see the bulk of the targets, there’s always a good chance Marshall sees some extra work, especially if the Panthers jump out to a more commanding lead. He is the epitome of dart-throw this week and with any hope, it’s his number called and not that of Brandon Zylstra this week.

Anthony Miller, WR HOU – OK, maybe Miller is actually the epitome of a dart-throw. Now that Collins and Amendola are out, we could see the former Bears wideout get some extra snaps out of the slot when the Texans move into three-receiver sets. There’s not a lot to love but if you’re setting multiple lineups and are looking for the play few people will be on, he could be worth a look.

Jordan Akins, TE HOU – The Panthers have been good about covering the tight end thus far, but like we see with so many rookie quarterbacks, there is a tendency to rely on the tight end for those short, high-percentage passes over the middle. Akins could certainly get those looks and, should the Texans find themselves inside the red zone, he could be a strong target.

Joey Slye, K HOU – I have to give a shout-out to my friend Michael Fabiano of The Fantasy Dirt on SiriuXM Fantasy Sports Radio for reminding me of this super-tasty revenge-game narrative. The Panthers gave Slye the boot, so to speak, for some dude named Ryan Santoso who isn’t even on their roster anymore. If the Texans offense stalls inside the 30-yard line, expect Slye to exact his revenge. Remember, revenge-game narratives are like Sex Panther – 60-percent of the time, they work every time.

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